Object locator

Abstract

There is disclosed an object locator system for obtaining information about the location of an individual, animal or moveable object, having a lightweight, attached object locator, that is present in a region served by a two-way paging system and a global positioning satellite system. The object locator may be selectively activated to conserve power or enabled to respond only when beyond a boundary.

1. A method comprising,
 wirelessly transmitting, from a transmitter coupled to an animate object, a notification of the animate object violating a predetermined threshold; 
 wirelessly receiving a request for location data associated with the animate object; and 
 in response to at least the location request, automatically activating a receiver coupled to the animate object to receive location signals for determining location data associated with the animate object; and, 
 automatically deactivating the receiver after determining the location data. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining location data associated with the animate object based, at least in part, on the location signals. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location signals comprise Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) signals. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the request is received from a user device, the method further comprising transmitting the location data to the user device, wherein at least a portion of the transmission is wireless. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the location data comprises location coordinates. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the violation of a predetermined threshold is determined based, at least in part, on location data. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the request was received from a user device, the notification of the violation is transmitted to the user device. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold comprises at least one of a perimeter, a time, a distance, or an altitude. 
     
     
       9. A method, comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting a notification of a mobile object violating a predetermined threshold from the mobile object; 
 wirelessly receiving a request for location data associated with the mobile object; and 
 in response to at least the location request, automatically activating a receiver in the mobile object to receive satellite signals for determining location data associated with the mobile object; and 
 automatically deactivating the receiver after determining the location data. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , the predetermined threshold comprising a perimeter, further comprising:
 determining location data associated with the mobile object based, at least in part, on the location signals; and 
 determining a violation of the perimeter based, at least in part on the location data. 
 
     
     
       11. A portable device comprising,
 a transmitter operable to wirelessly transmit a notification of an animate object violating a predetermined threshold; 
 a first receiver operable to wirelessly receive a request for location data associated with the animate object; 
 a controller operable to automatically activate, in response to at least the location request, a second receiver operable to receive location signals for determining location data associated with the animate object, and further operable to automatically deactivate the second receiver after determining the location data, 
 wherein the portable device is coupled to the animate object. 
 
     
     
       12. The portable device of  claim 11 , wherein the second receiver is operable to determine location data associated with the animate object based, at least in part, on the location signals. 
     
     
       13. The portable device  claim 11 , wherein the location signals comprise GPS signals. 
     
     
       14. The portable device of  claim 12 , wherein the request is received from a user device, the transmitter operable to transmit the location data to the user device. 
     
     
       15. The portable device of  claim 12 , wherein the location data comprises location coordinates. 
     
     
       16. The portable device of  claim 12 , wherein the violation of a predetermined threshold is determined based, at least in part, on location data. 
     
     
       17. The portable device of  claim 16 , wherein the request was received from a user device, the transmitter operable to transmit the notification of the violation to the user device. 
     
     
       18. The portable device of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined threshold comprises at least one of a perimeter, a time, a distance, or an altitude.